Kedarnath is a Hindu holy city located in Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat in
Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is
located in the Himalayas, about 3584m above sea level near the head of river
Mandakini, and is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks. Kedarnath hosts one
of the holiest Hindu temples and is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims from all
over the world.
Kedarnath is accessible only after a steep 14 km trek through a paved path (horses
or palanquins are available for rent) from Gaurikund, which is connected by road
from Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and other important hill stations of the Garhwal
and Kumaon regions in Uttarakhand. The temple is open only during the months of
April/May(on Akshaya Trithiya) to October/November (closes on Diwali - festival of
light), due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold weather during winter.
PLACE TO VISIT
Kedarnath temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is
located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range near the river Mandakini in Kedarnath,
Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only
between the end of April to start of November. The temple is not directly accessible
by road and has to be reached by a 13 km uphill trek from Gaurikund. The temple is
believed to have been built by Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the twelve
Jyothirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Lord Shiva. The temple is also one of the
four major sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage
The actual temple is an impressive stone edifice of unknown date. No specific family
of pujaris supervises rituals at Kedarnath, which focus around veneration of the
stone lingam that rests in the inner sanctum of the temple. Behind the temple is the
samadhi mandir of Adi Sankara.
Close to the shrine lies Adi Shankaracharya's samadhi, where he is believed to have taken rest after establishing the four dhams at an early age of 32 years. At a visible distance from the shrine also lies an ancient Bhairav Temple, beyond which one comes out to green glades and tiny streams, fed by the surrounding (and approachable) glaciers. Treks leading out from Kedarnath are strenuous. If one arrives here early in the season, glaciers blocking these routes would be a common occurence - and quite risky since one can never tell the thickness of the ice. Gandhi Sarovar (lake) -and the Chorabari Glacier that feeds the lake - lie the closest, at a distance of 3km, which makes for an hour of trek. Vasuki Tal - which is famous for its blue waters - is at 7km, and involves very difficult climb and crossing glaciers. It generally takes one 4-5 hours to reach there, so set out early.
WHAT TO DO
Puja and aarti at the temple if you are a Hindu. Treks to the adjacent valeys will take you through untouched forests and desolate paths. Some pilgrims even take a dip in the icy waters of Mandakini.
HOW TO REACH
Kedarnath is approachable on foot from Gaurikund, which is connected by road to Rishikesh, Kotdwar, Dehradun, Haridwar and other important hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon region. Daily buses/taxis from Hardwar/Rishikesh/Dehradun ply during the pilgrim season (approx May to October) take you to Gauri Kund. The road ends here. Kedarnath is a steep 14 km trek from Gauri Kund (horses and palanquins are available for hire). There is even a helicopter service during peak season, which is run by Pawan Hans Helicopter service..
